Will the Vatican comply with UN investigation into child abuse?

Pope Francis leads an audience at the Vatican before Christmas (Picture: Reuters)

A few weeks ago, Pope Francis delivered his first ever Christmas Day speech to thousands of followers in St Peter’s Square.

He highlighted the lives ‘shattered’ in Syria, Iraq and the Israel-Palestine conflict and called for an end to ‘further suffering’. But simply wishing for ‘world peace’ is for Miss World contestants; the leader of one of the world’s wealthiest and most influential bodies has the power to make real change.

On January 16, a Vatican delegation is due to appear before the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child at a hearing in Geneva as part of an investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse by Catholic clergy around the world and an alleged system of cover-ups by the Holy See. Pope Francis and the Catholic Church have a clear opportunity to help victims whose lives have been ‘shattered’ by child abuse and help prevent ‘further suffering’, campaigners say.

‘This is the first time the Holy See’s been pressed on child sexual abuse by the world’s children’s rights body and that’s of international significance,’ said Veronica Yates, director of Child Rights International Network (CRIN). ‘We know child abuse happens in other closed institutions, but what’s unique about the Catholic Church is the Holy See is a UN State that’s voluntarily signed up to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, a legally binding document that includes, among others, a child’s right to protection from violence and sexual abuse.’

She added: ‘Child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church is a global problem affecting thousands of children. Some of the “techniques” employed by the church indicate its disregard for children’s rights and the law. An example is the “geographical cure”, designed to relocate, forget and sweep under the rug cases of child abuse to protect the institution. There are numerous examples of priests accused of abuse being transferred, usually from Europe or North America to Africa or Latin America. The Holy See’s given no indication these practices have stopped.’

But does she think anything can be achieved by the UN investigation?

‘We believe the UN Committee will give strong recommendations to the Holy See to change its laws and policies, so child abusers can be punished and can no longer hide behind a cloak of secrecy,’ said Yates. ‘We hope the review will also give victims the courage and opportunities to come forward and seek justice for the crimes they’ve suffered.’

The Catholic Church has been too slow to tackle the problem, admitted Danny Sullivan, chairman of the National Catholic Safeguarding Commission. ‘The Catholic Church acknowledges it took some time to recognise the extent of child abuse within the church and successive popes have regretted this and apologised and met with victims and survivors.

‘It’s not the reputation of the church which matters most – it’s the damage done to victims and survivors which is the church’s principal concern. It’s significant that the group of eight cardinals commissioned by Pope Francis to help with reforms in the church have made their first proposal the setting up of a safeguarding commission in the Vatican, which reflects how seriously Pope Francis takes the issue of child abuse. It will be important that the commission is open, transparent and robust.’

But are these just words? The Holy See’s already refused to provide requested details to the UN Committee on its internal investigations into child abuse by priests, widely seen as another example of the Catholic Church putting its reputation above the rights of victims and potential future victims. They were accused of hiding behind legal technicalities. The UN asked, among other things, for details of how the Vatican was making sure known abusive priests had no contact with children and what guidelines were given to ensure the church reported known cases to the police. The Holy See suggested that, if pushed too hard on these issues, they could terminate or withdraw from the UN Treaty.

Criticism from the UN would be damaging, at a time when the Catholic Church is trying to present a new image. But the UN Committee has no legal powers to punish guilty parties or impose reform.

‘The Committee can’t find powerful members of the Vatican guilty for covering up child sexual abuse,’ said Yates. ‘But it can challenge the Holy See on its persistent side-stepping of one of the worst crimes against children.’

If the Catholic Church refuses to be open and co-operative, has anything changed in the past few years or is it still trying to protect its own image at the expense of victims?

‘The Roman Catholic Church has an appalling history of cover-ups, denials and moving perpetrators from one place to another,’ said Peter Saunders, chief executive of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC). ‘Most victims of abuse will take some convincing that the church is serious about this issue and will need to see mighty things happen to consider they’ve received any form of “justice”. Without the Catholic Church agreeing to hand over their information about abusing clergy, the whole thing would be pointless and I believe the Vatican’s already refused to do this.’

Although the Catholic Church is being singled out, abuse happens in many other organisations.

‘At NAPAC, we hear from people abused by Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Quakers…’ said Saunders. ‘Abuse knows no boundaries. All religious organisations should be investigated, as this is a global epidemic. And we shouldn’t forget secular organisations have a great deal to answer to: the BBC, the NHS…’

Saunders has first-hand experience on this issue – he was abused at a Catholic boys’ school in south-west London. His older brother, Mike, was abused by the same priest, which, Saunders says, led to heroin and alcohol addiction. He hopes that victims are remembered in the UN investigation.

‘I survived, but Mike died from the addictions that set in from the abuse he suffered for years,’ he said. ‘This is the real cost of abuse.’